Case Study#14 Analysis: Are You Ready for Your Next Gig

1. How has Web 2.0 helped develop the gig economy?
   Web 2.0 has continued to foster the growth of the gig economy by giving a platform for
   access and the opportunity for an individual to develop and distribute content online through the
   internet and earn income. Web 2.0 has enabled users to continue producing new content and
   sharing it online. For instance, people can share pictures, articles, videos, and blogs about
   various topics such as health, environment, technology, and beauty, among others.
   A firm successfully utilizing social media influencers is the one with millions of
   followers on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and so on. Such a company pays social media
   influencers to advertise their products on their respective social media accounts and other
   individual online platforms like blogs rather than hiring high-paying celebrities. Companies
   utilize social networking sites to find candidate profiles and job opportunities and then offer
   temporary jobs like part-time IT and Networking specialists and contractual designers (Vallas &
   Schor, 2020). Companies will save a lot of money by hiring part-time employees, and people
   will have more job opportunities and profit opportunities. Because of Web 2.0, everything is
   possible in the gig economy.
2. Describe the e-business model associated with the gig economy?
   The e-business concept associated with the gig economy is built on flexible, temporary
   work that frequently involves communicating with consumers or clients via online platforms.
   Workers, businesses, and consumers can all profit from the gig economy since it allows
   employees to better adapt to today’s needs and the desire for a flexible lifestyle (Kaine &
   Josserand, 2019). Part-time instructors and professors, for example, are contract employees,
   whereas teachers with labor rights or expertise are permanent employees. However, by recruiting

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more adjunct professionals, learning institutions can cut costs while adapting faculty to their
academic needs. Another example is business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer
(B2C) shopping platforms like Alibaba, which allow users to sell various things on a single e-
commerce website. With this opportunity, part-time software developers, for example, can
contact organizations online to design and sell their software products.
Another illustration of this e-business model is the use of online platforms to book travel
and accommodation. For example, Airbnb allows potential homeowners to out their apartments,
houses, suites, or RVs to customers looking for a place to stay. All these processes are done
through an online click. The flexibility and profitability of the gig economy e-business model
present significant benefits to employers and consumers. For instance, online contracting
platforms have given employers access to a broader talent pool. Additionally, hiring contract
workers might be less expensive because the employer is not responsible for health insurance or
other benefits. Workers can also multitask, work from anywhere depending on the job, and have
more freedom and flexibility in their daily lives.

3. Describe the revenue model associated with the gig economy?
   The revenue model is based on using technology to generate income (Vallas & Schor,
   2020). Bolt is a ridesharing firm that makes money from the gig economy by taking a percentage
   cut of the revenues generated by its contract drivers. Users of these automobiles transfer fees and
   pay drivers through an app. Bolt gets some of its money from its delivery service, and its drivers
   are paid hourly for riding travelers to their destinations.

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References

Vallas, S., & Schor, J. B. (2020). What do platforms do? Understanding the gig economy.
Annual Review of Sociology, 46, 273-294. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-121919-
054857
Kaine, S., & Josserand, E. (2019). The organization and experience of work in the gig economy.
Journal of Industrial Relations, 61(4), 479-501.
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0022185619865480